30 dead as torrential rains lash Gujarat

More than 10,000 have been shifted to shelters.

A scene at the Nadiad building collapse. A three-storeyed building collapsed due to heavy rains in Gujarat on August 10, 2019.

At least 30 people were killed in various rain related incidents as torrential rains lash Gujarat, triggering floods that have disrupted normal life in the State.  More than 10,000 have been shifted to shelter homes from vulnerable places while 150 people stranded in marooned locations were rescued by NDRF personnel.  With heavy rains since August 9, normal life has been thrown out of fear as more than 450 roads including a dozen State highways were shut for traffic movements while western railways cancelled all trains between Gandhidham and Mumbai and short terminated trains between Mumbai and Ahmedabad due to water logging on the tracks.  In Morbi, eight labourers died when a wall collapsed due to cave in caused by incessant rains on August 10. All victims were construction workers from Madhya Pradesh.  In a similar incident, a compound wall collapsed on a family of construction labourers from Udaipur killing a couple and their two children at Bopal in Ahmedabad on August 9 night. Separately, four persons, including a one-year-old girl, were killed and five injured when a three-storey building of the Gujarat Housing Board collapsed in Nadiad town of Kheda district on Friday night following heavy rains in the region.  In Porbandar, three fishermen died in the sea when tough sea drowned their boat. In Surat also, three persons died in rain related incidents amidst heavy downpour.  Injured persons from Nadiad were pulled out from the debris and sent to hospital during a seven-hour rescue operation by fire brigade and NDRF that ended at 6 am on Saturday.  An Air Force helicopter was sent after it was learnt that seven persons were stranded at Vavdi in Surendranagar district, but it could not locate anyone despite being at the spot for over 40 minutes, a defence official said. In Saurashtra region, Rajkot district was put on alert and two teams each of the Army and NDRF were put on stand-by as water was released from dams in the district due to heavy rains in catchment areas.  Rajkot collector Rahul Gupta said 1,425 people were shifted to safer places in rural areas after release of water from Aji, Nyari and other dams. Over 1,200 people were shifted to safer places in Rajkot city on Saturday morning, he added. In Gandhinagar, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held a review meeting and directed the administration to remain on alert as the state is expected to see more showers on August 11 as well. “Seventeen dams are overflowing. Last year, by the end of monsoon, dams had only 56 per cent water. This year there is 60 per cent water stock in dams already," Mr. Rupani told reporters after the review meeting.  "Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada is overflowing. Another big dam in South Gujarat, Ukai in Surat district is also on the verge of overflowing," Mr. Rupani said, stressing that the state has come out from the fear of another deficit monsoon.  "South and central Gujarat received heavy rainfall. As per the met department, Saurashtra and Kutch will receive rainfall in coming 24 hours, after which the intensity of rains will decrease," he added.  All tehsils have received 125 mm or more rainfall this season, and hence there is no longer drought in the state, he said. "Of total 251 tehsils, 15 have received 10 inches of rain. Others have received more than 10 inches," as per the figures shared by the State emergency control room.  As per a State government release, more than 200 talukas of 33 districts received moderate to heavy rainfall ranging from 150 to 380 mm in last 24 hours till Sunday evening.  On August 10, Ahmedabad city has recorded more than 6 inches rain fall during the night.  Many parts of the city have witnessed heavy water logging, forcing the civic body had to close traffic movements in four underpass roads while gates of Vasna barrage on Sabarmati river were opened to release water in the river.